Close enough to be there in seconds if Bonnie needed them, but far enough away that she didn’t complain too much about being smothered.
Even if she was completely smothered in protection.
The townhouse next to them was empty and had been the entire time they were here. Dante had bought both townhouses, but Ralen and Cash were happy living in one and leaving the other empty.
Walking to the back of his truck, he drew the tarp back so he could reach the box of beer he’d stashed back here.
Then he froze.
“What the hell are you doing in here?”
5
Addie was so scared she was close to peeing herself.
She might have if she hadn’t just been to the bathroom.
A squeak of fear left her as someone drew back the tarp covering her. She’d spent the entire ride in the back of the pickup, trying to convince herself to jump out and run.
But her limbs just wouldn’t cooperate. So she’d decided to wait until the truck stopped.
She hadn’t factored in that the driver might lift up the tarp before she could escape.
“What the hell are you doing in here?”
The demand rattled through her brain, making her freeze with fear.
“Who are you?” he said.
“Who is who?” another voice asked.
This was a disaster.
“Holy shit, there’s a girl hiding back here.” The owner of the second voice appeared, staring down at her. “Hey, isn’t that one of the girls from the bar? The one with the backpack?”
They’d been in the bar. They’d seen her there. Oh God, this was getting worse and worse. She was shaking so hard her teeth were rattling.
She couldn’t even see what they looked like since a street light was behind them, blinding her.
“Get out, girl,” the first guy said in his deep, commanding voice. “Then explain what you’re doing in the back of my pickup.”
That was going to be a bit hard to do, and not just because she’d lost the ability to speak but because she had no idea how to explain what happened or if she even should. She needed Dotty and Monroe.
“Come on, girl,” the first guy said. “You can’t spend the night there.”
“Do you think she’s too scared to move?” the second guy asked.
“All right, I’m going to help you out,” the first guy said. “If you don’t want me touching you, then you need to move by yourself now.”
She really didn’t want anyone to touch her, but there was no way she could move on her own. Large, warm hands grasped hold of her hips and lifted her down. She let out a small cry of fear.
“Shh, no one is going to hurt you. You’re safe.” There was something about the way he spoke. Something familiar about his voice. But it wasn’t until she turned and glanced up at him without a light blinding her that she saw that it was the guy from the bar. The one who had told her to run.
That should’ve made her feel better, however she was well beyond being able to think.
He stared down into her face. “What are you doing in the back of my pickup, girl? And where are your friends from earlier?”
She studied both of them. While it was dark, the street lights lit up the area well. Both of them were dressed in T-shirts and jeans with jackets. They looked rough and a bit scary with tattoos up their necks. She tried to keep telling herself that this man had helped her, protected her, but it didn’t make her feel any better.
